After you were born

1-Tessa

It's the 27th of December and my mom, David, Ken, Karen, Abigail, Christian, Kimberly, Karina and Smith were visiting us from Washington since we hosted Christmas dinner this year. To my and Hardin's disappointment Trish and Mike couldn't make it since London was totally snowed in.
My mom and David were staying at our place, the Scotts were sleeping over at Landon's and the Vances booked themselves a suite at The Plaza, of course.
They were all flying back home tomorrow so we organized a goodbye dinner since we weren't going to see eachother until the next year.

We were all gathered in the dining room of our overcrowded apartment. It's not that our place was small but it just wasn't meant for more than two-maybe three, people. It was still pretty big though. Anyways, I had made garlic bread, mashed potatoes with extra butter, rotisserie chicken, lasagna, rhubarb pie, apple pie, banana cream pie and cheesecake. Not to mention Hardin made me my favorite pasta dish. Pregnancy cravings are no joke, especially if you were able to eat a lot before even getting pregnant.
I felt like an idiot not being able to properly sit close to the table because of my bump and as always Hardin had seen my frustration and started laughing quietly while holding my hand under the table.
It was amazing to see how everyone had changed over the years. Smith has just turned 11, his and Hardin's half sister Karina is 3, Abigail 5 and Addelyn 1. Hardin's relationship with his dads has gotten so much better, he always tells me that Ken is his father but he sees Vance as a big part of his family too. Kimberly gave birth to little Karina three years ago and she is the splitting image of her, except for Vance's green eyes. My mom and Hardin, as weird as it is, really did start getting along.
Against all of my expectations we really did turn into this complicated but truly happy family.
I love watching the kids play, the way they all watch out for eachother...and soon our little angel would be a part of that too.

Speaking of which.

"So Tessa sweetie, have you it's decided on a name yet?" Karen gives me one of he heartwarming smiles.
"Of course they haven't, what kind of question is that, they never agree on anything." And Carol Young will always stay Carol Young.
„As a matter of fact mom, we did. We both think her name should mean something to us."
It's true, we were thinking about Emily or maybe Jane...but in all honesty we hadn't agreed on a specific name yet. Hardin was trying to sell me some weird old english names like Godiva and Hollace, don't get me wrong they're nice names but I am never naming my daughter anything like that. I think he even suggested the name London. Something about me not moving to London so I owe it to him to at least let him name our child, I laughed in his face so hard.

"All I know is that no matter what we name her, she will be just as magnificent as her mother." Hardin squeezes my hand and gives me a kiss on the cheek, I love it when he does that.

"What about Christina?" Christian just can't help himself.
"Yeah, keep on dreaming honey." Kimberly and Vance's relationship was stronger than ever.

About an hour and 6 slices of pie later I decided to go lay down in our room while everyone else enjoyed themselves in front of the fireplace. Hardin brought me to our bedroom and wrapped me up in his arms and slowly kissed me, even after all this time every touch and every slight movement of his tongue, how it glides between my lips, makes my skin catch on fire.

„I love you, Theresa."
"And I love you. Now go back outside and enjoy yourselves, I just need a little rest."
He walks back into the living room while I stay back, get changed and hop into bed to watch Netflix shows.
After catching up on some episodes of my favorite shows I decided to put in a DVD, The Vow. I don't know why I felt the urge to watch it since I already have about a thousand times before but it just spoke to me.

It's really hard to cry in peace and be able to really feel the movie with the Scott-Young family gawking and giggling right outside my bedroom door but none the less, my hormones get the best of me and I break out into tears.
But all of a sudden, through the hysteric sobbing and weeping I felt something.

Did I- did I just wet my pants, well that's just great. I mean I love being pregnant but man, can my babygirl just get out already, I am so finished this this whole bladder problem. I throw my blanket to the side and head into the bathroom. Barely reaching the bathroom, it popped. Okay that was not my bladder and that so isn't pee.

Shoot. No, I wasn't ready for this, not now. I take it back- I take it back! Babygirl stay inside, give me bladder problems, make my hormones go crazy and give me insane cravings! Anything, just don't come out yet. How am I supposed to do this!

"Hardin! HARDIN!"
"Tess, baby, are you okay?" He pretty much stumbles over his own feet rushing over to me. Hardin's eyes make his way up and down my body searching for the problem until he notices. "Oh shit, baby, is that- did your?"
"Hardin, my water broke. This baby is coming now!" I think I am gonna cry. I can feel every overpowering feeling out there making its way into my system.
"Oh my lord, Tess, are we- are we really having this baby now? Here?" His voice cracks and I can see the same feeling of fear and joy fill his eyes, because mine look the same.
"The hell I am having this baby here, we need to get to the hospital, now."
I really wasn't prepared for this, she wasn't supposed to be do for another week, Noah was going to fly out in 5 days and I was supposed to be hospital ready. Now I am in my pjs in the middle of a dinner party, standing in my bathroom doorway having a mental breakdown.
Speaking of mental breakdowns.
"I am becoming a father, A FUCKING FATHER! Everyone, did you hear? I am becoming a father!"
"Hardin, dude, we get it. Tessa's pregnant and is huge." Landon makes fun of Hardin since he pretty much been screaming about the fact that I have a humongous baby bump for about 3 months now.
"No you idiot, I am becoming a father, tonight, now take my car keys and bring the car up front."
"You're giving me your car keys? Like to drive your car?" Landon is just as surprised as I am, Hardin barely ever lets me drive his beloved Oldtimer, let alone Landon.
"Imbecile, do you really think I give a bloody damn about a car right now, the love of my life is going into labor, so go!"
Landon rushes out the door. Now everyone else had noticed what was going on, Karen and Kimberly started packing my hospital bag, Sophia tried showing me some calming breathing exercises she had learned when she was pregnant and my mom, well my mom was pretty much criticizing the fact that I was incapable of proper planning.
Christian and Ken can't help but just stand there, frozen. Two middle aged men with two kids each can't bring it upon themselves to move, I can't help but giggle.

Hardin sweeps me off my feet and might as well runs out the front door.
"Hardin, I'm going into labor, not paralyzed!"
„No, don't overwork you body, you need to save that energy." He's such a big dumbo, I love him so so much and can't wait for our daughter to meet him.

Landon is driving and Hardin is on the backseat with me doing his best to calm me down, which results in me having to calm him down.

Wow, it's really happening. I am having a baby, we are having a baby.
Wait- we are having a baby.